Method and Apparatus for Non-Contact Type Direct Dye-Sublimation Printing

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method of printing patterns, an ornamental design or a picture on a printing object using a heat transfer or sublimation transfer technology are provided. In the non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method, and agent treatment layer is formed in a printing object, and solid sublimation dye is carried in the agent treatment layer by spraying liquid sublimation dye on the agent treatment layer to allow a transfer image to be infiltrated into the agent treatment layer and hardening the liquid sublimation dye infiltrated into the agent treatment layer. The transfer image is printed on the printing object by sublimating the dye carried on the agent treatment layer and infiltrating the sublimated dye into enlarged pores of a texture of the printing object by heating the printing object. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus can be manufactured in a simple structure and a small size by omitting a pressing plate, a thermostat and other relating parts that are required in a process for depressing an intermediate transfer medium, thereby reducing the facility costs and the initial investing costs and to provide a printing method using such a printing apparatus.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus of printing patterns, anornamental design or a picture on a printing object using a heattransfer or sublimation transfer technology, and more particularly, to anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus that canremarkably improve the printing quality and efficiency without using anintermediate transfer medium (a transfer paper) and without performing aprocess of depressing the intermediate transfer medium onto a printingobject and can be inexpensively manufactured by being designed in asmall, simple structure, thereby lowering initial investing costs. Thepresent invention further relates to a non-contact type directdye-sublimation printing method.

BACKGROUND ART

As a conventional printing method using a heat transfer or sublimationtransfer technology, two typical methods, a press roller method (referto FIG. 1) and a plate-type transfer method (refer to FIG. 2) are wellknown. The press roller method is designed to print an image such as apicture, an ornament design and patterns on a printing object 100 suchas a polyester fabric by transferring the image carried on a surface ofan intermediate transfer medium 110 to the printing object using a pairof heat/press rollers 120.

In order to carry the image on the surface of the intermediate transfermedium 110, a coating layer 112 is formed on the surface of theintermediate transfer medium and sublimation dye formed of transfer inkis sprayed on the coating layer 112 to form a transfer image. Thetransfer image formed of the sublimation dye is existed in a solid stateat a normal temperature and sublimated when the intermediate medium withthe transfer image passes through the heat/press rollers 120 to betransferred from the intermediate medium to the printing object, therebyprinting the image such as the picture, the ornament design or a varietyof patterns on the printing object.

Meanwhile, FIG. 2 shows another printing method using the plate-typetransfer method. The plate-type transfer is designed to print an imageon a printing object by disposing the printing object on a lower base205, disposing an intermediate medium 220 provided at a front surfacewith a transfer image 222 formed of dye on the printing object, anddepressing a rear surface of the intermediate transfer medium 220 at atemperature of about 180-230° C. using a heat-press plate 230 totransfer the transfer image to the printing object 210.

In the above-described conventional printing methods, excessive thermalstress may be incurred on the printing object, causing the defectiveprinting. Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 2003-00929885 discloses a printingmethod that can prevent the excessive thermal stress. That is, in orderto prevent the excessive thermal deviation from being generated duringthe heating and depressing of the printing object, there are providedupper and lower heating plates to realize the image transfer by startingheating the printing object from a lower portion of the printing object.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, all of the above-described conventionalarts, however, are designed to be essentially in need of an identical orsimilar process. That is, all of the above-described conventional artsare essentially in need of an intermediate transfer medium 310 on asurface of which a transfer image dye 312 that is to be transferred to aprinting object 300 is carried. Therefore, a process for depressing theintermediate transfer medium 310 toward the printing object 300 isessentially required to transfer the image from the intermediatetransfer medium 310 to the printing object 300.

That is, the transfer image dye (transfer ink) is carried in a coatinglayer 320 of the intermediate medium. The transfer image dye is existedin a solid state at a normal temperature and sublimated when it isheated at a temperature of 180-230° C. for 0.5-5 minutes. In the courseof sublimation, as indicated by Allow in FIG. 3, the transfer image dye312 sublimated is infiltrated enlarged pores of an texture of theprinting object 300 such as the polyester fabric, thereby printing theimage on the printing object 300.

When the printing object 300 in which the transfer image dye 312 isinfiltrated is cooled at the normal temperature, the pores of thetexture of the printing object is contracted to prevent the infiltrateddye from discharged out of the pores, thereby fixing the printed state.According to the above-described prior arts, as the intermediatetransfer medium is essentially required, the heating and pressingprocesses must be essentially performed.

However, since the pressing process must be performed for apredetermined time in a state where the intermediate transfer medium 310is in contact with the printing object 300 at a predetermined locationand a predetermined gap between them, the printing machine iscomplicated and it is difficult to setup the online printing process inan automation aspect. Therefore, the printing efficiency is lowered andthere is limitation in improving the productivity unless a large-sizedprinting machine is not provided.

Furthermore, after the image is transferred from the intermediatetransfer medium 310 to the printing object 300, the intermediatetransfer medium is dumped in a state there is still a large amount ofresidual dye in the coating layer 312 of the intermediate transfermedium 310. This may cause the excessive and unnecessary dye loss.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, in the course of the infiltration ofthe dye 312 into the pores of the printing object 300 by the sublimationof the dye by the heating/pressing process, the dye may be infiltratedin the intermediate transfer medium 310 as well as in the printingobject 300, thereby deteriorating the printing quality of the printingobject 300.

In the constitution aspect of the prior arts, an additionalheating/pressing plate 330 for depressing the intermediate transfermedium 310 to the printing object 300 is required. Therefore, when asize of the printing object is relatively large, the size of theheating/pressing plate 330 must be enlarged in response to the size ofthe heating/pressing plate. This causes the increase of the size of theprinting machine.

That is, the prior printing machine must be structured in a large-size,thereby increasing the facility costs.

Furthermore, since the transfer of the dye from the intermediatetransfer medium 310 to the printing object 300 must be uniformlyrealized, a gap and a location between the intermediate transfer medium310 and the printing object 300 must be uniformly maintained to minimizea local printing quality deviation on the printing object 300.Therefore, further additional units such as a gap maintaining unit and athermo-hydrostat must be equipped. This causes the further increase ofthe manufacturing cost of the printing machine.

Meanwhile, Korean Patent No. 0340241 discloses a technology for printingwaterproof inkjet ink on a fabric, which can be used for an outdooradvertisement, without using the intermediate transfer medium and thepressing process. According to this technology, there is no need ofperforming an additional waterproof coating process. However, a thickcoating layer must be coated on the fabric to receive the inkjet ink,quality and ventilation of the fabric is deteriorated. Furthermore, itcannot be expected to obtain the printing effect at a rear surface ofthe printed fabric. In addition, delaminating may be incurred on theprinted fabric and the printed image may be deleted by rainwater or thelike, thereby deteriorating the quality of the goods with the printedfabric. Furthermore, the production method using this technologyincreases the defective rate of the goods. In addition, since a mixtureof silica, binder and surface-active agent is applied to the fabric, thedelaminating may be easily incurred. As a result, stains may be formedon the printed fabric, thereby deteriorating the value of the printedfabric.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

One object of the present invention is to provide a non-contact typedirect dye-sublimation printing apparatus that can be inexpensivelymanufactured by omitting an intermediate transfer medium and to providea printing method using such a printing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-contact typedirect dye-sublimation printing apparatus and method that can improvethe productivity in printing work by omitting a process for depressingan intermediate transfer medium to a printing object, which has been aparticular process in the prior art, and by allowing for a consecutiveonline printing work for the printing object.

A further another object of the present invention is to provide anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus that can bemanufactured in a simple structure and a small size by omitting apressing plate and other relating parts that are required in a processfor depressing an intermediate transfer medium, thereby reducing thefacility costs and the initial investing costs and to provide a printingmethod using such a printing apparatus.

A still further another object of the present invention is to provide anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus and methodthat can provide a superior printing effect using a small amount of thedye by preventing unnecessary dye loss that is caused by an intermediatetransfer medium and improve the color fixing property, thereby improvingthe printing quality.

Technical Solution

In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method comprising thesteps of forming an agent treatment layer in a printing object; carryingsolid sublimation dye in the agent treatment layer by spraying liquidsublimation dye on the agent treatment layer to allow a transfer imageto be infiltrated into the agent treatment layer and hardening theliquid sublimation dye infiltrated into the agent treatment layer; andprinting the transfer image on the printing object by sublimating thedye carried on the agent treatment layer and infiltrating the sublimateddye into enlarged pores of a texture of the printing object by heatingthe printing object.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus comprisinga printing object supply unit having a supply reel around which aprinting object with an agent treatment layer is rolled and a pair ofpinch rolls releasing the printing object from the supply reel; a dyedepositing unit disposed at a downstream side of the supply unit toallow dye to be carried in the agent treatment layer; and a transferunit disposed at a downstream side of the dye depositing unit to print atransfer image on the printing object by sublimating the dye carried inthe agent treatment layer and infiltrating the sublimated dye intoenlarged pores of a texture of the printing object by heating theprinting object.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

According to a non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing methodof the present invention, no process for depressing an intermediatetransfer medium such as a transfer paper to a printing object such apolyester fabric or the like to print patterns, an ornamental design ora picture on the printing object by using a heat transfer or sublimationtransfer technology is necessary. Accordingly, the apparatus can bemanufactured in a simple and small structure and the working process canbe simplified. As a result, the facility costs and the initial investingcosts can be lowered. In addition, it is possible to consecutivelyperform the online printing work for the printing object, therebyremarkably improving the productivity in the printing work.

Furthermore, since the present invention is not in need of anintermediate transfer medium such as an expensive transfer paper, theprinting costs can be saved. In addition, since the dye is fullytransferred to a printing object without remaining on the intermediatetransfer medium, unnecessary dye loss can be prevented. As a result, thehigh quality printing effect can be obtained even using a small amountof dye, thereby saving the printing costs.

In addition, since the pores of the printing object are fully filledwith dye, more clear, high resolution printed image can be maintained onthe dyed printing object.

Furthermore, since the printing operation for a printing object isperformed by a small transferring unit that is detachably arranged infront of a dye depositing unit, the printing apparatus can be minimizedand the facility and investing costs can be saved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view illustrating a conventionalheating/pressing roller type indirect transfer printing method andapparatus;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view illustrating a conventionalheating/pressing plate type indirect transfer printing method andapparatus;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a basic principle of a conventionalplate-type heating/pressing indirect transfer printing method andapparatus;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting method by steps according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting apparatus according to another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a photograph of a texture of a fabric that is being dyed by anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a photograph of a texture of a fabric that is being dyed by anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method according to thepresent invention, in which an agent treatment layer is formed on thefabric; and

FIG. 9 is a photograph of a texture of a fabric that is being dyed by anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method according to thepresent invention, in which dye is transferred to a fabric to completelydye the texture.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

The inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method isdesigned to print patterns, an ornamental design or a picture on aprinting object 10 using a heat transfer or sublimation transfertechnology.

The inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method isdesigned to print an image on the printing object 10 by directlycarrying sublimation dye in the printing object 10 and heating theprinting object 10 to sublimate the dye without using an intermediatetransfer medium.

Therefore, since the intermediate transfer medium such as a transferpaper is not used, the printing costs can be saved. Furthermore, sinceno particular process for depressing the intermediate transfer mediumonto the printing object 10 is required, a consecutive online printingfor the printing object 10 becomes possible, thereby remarkablyimproving the productivity in the printing work.

The inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing methodincludes the process of forming an agent treatment layer 12 on theprinting object 10.

The process of forming the agent treatment layer 12 is performed byinfiltrating the treatment agent in the printing object such as thepolyester fabric. That is, the process of forming the agent treatmentlayer 12 is performed by coating a mixture, which is formed by mixing athickening agent such as a binder for preventing the dye from running, acolor fixing improving agent such as acid for improving the color fixingproperty, an anti-oxidizing agent for maintaining the color fixingproperty, a carrier for enabling the transfer at a relatively lowtemperature and improving the color fixing property, and a solvent suchas water at a predetermined rate, through a dipping process or a knifecoating process.

The binder is one of alginic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxyl methylcellulose, and the like, that may be one of natural or syntheticwater-soluble polymer. The color fixing improving agent may be one ofacetic acid, formate and the like. The anti-oxidizing agent may be oneof hydrogen peroxide, nitrobenzene sulfonate, and the like. Otherchemical materials may be also used for each functional agent.

The carrier may be one of dichlorobenzene, trichlorobenzen,paraphenylphenol, and the like. These agents may be mixed with a non-ionsurface-active agent and a solvent such as water to be used asemulsifier.

Since a process for forming the agent treatment layer 12 is well knownin the art, the detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

As described above, the agent treatment layer 12 having a uniformthickness is formed on the printing object 10.

Then, dye 14 is sprayed on the agent treatment layer 12 to carry atransfer image. In this process, an inkjet printer may be used to spraythe dye 14.

That is, by depositing the liquid dye 14 on the agent treat layer 12,the transfer image is formed in the agent treatment layer 12. The liquiddye 14 is hardened to be a solid state at the normal temperature.

In this process, the liquid dye 14 is sprayed on and infiltrated in theagent treatment layer 12. As a result, the dye 14 is infiltrated in theprinting object 10 and existed in the form of the solid state. In thiscase, the dye 14 can be definitely carried in the agent treatment layer12 without being run and mixed.

After the above, the agent treatment layer 12 is heated to sublimate thedye 14 to perform the printing process. That is, by heating the agenttreatment layer 12, the dye carried in the agent treatment layer 12 issublimated and infiltrated into enlarged pores of the printing object10, thereby printing the transfer image on the printing object.

In this process, the printing object 10 with the agent treatment layer12 in which the dye 14 is carried is heated at a temperature of 160-250°C. by a heating unit such as a ceramic radiant heater or an electricresistance heater. As a result, pores of the texture of the printingobject 10 are enlarged and the dye 14 carried in the agent treatmentlayer 12 is sublimated. The sublimated dye 14 is infiltrated in thepores of the texture of the printing object 10, thereby printing thetransfer image on the texture of the printing object 10.

Accordingly, the process for clearly printing the image on the printingobject can be very easily realized. That is, since the dye 14 isinfiltrated into the enlarged pores of the printing object 10 in a statewhere the dye 14 is carried in the agent treatment layer 12 of theprinting object 10 in advance, the dye 10 can be easily and deeplyinfiltrated into the texture of the printing object 10.

Furthermore, since the inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting method is not in need of an intermediate transfer medium suchas an expensive transfer paper, the printing costs can be saved and thesteps of work processes can be reduced. In addition, since there is nopossibility that the dye 14 remains on the intermediate transfer medium,the unnecessary dye loss can be prevented. That is, the superiorprinting effect can be realized even with a small amount of the dye 14.

Moreover, since the dye 14 carried in the agent treatment layer 12deposited on the printing object 10 is infiltrated into the printingobject 10, the infiltration into the pores can be easily and uniformlyrealized as compared with the prior arts. As a result, the highdefinition printed image can be remained, thereby providing a highquality product.

FIG. 7 is a photograph of a texture of a fabric that is being dyed by anon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a photograph showing printing object 10 formed of polyesterfabric to which the present invention is applied, the polyester fabricbeing formed of a plurality of yarns P1 defining the texture.

FIG. 8 is a photograph showing a section of the fabric that isagent-treated, in which the agent attached on the yarns P1 is shown in awhite color in the photograph.

Next, when the dye 14 is sprayed, the dye 14 is carried in the agenttreatment layer 12 enclosing the yarns P1.

At this point, in order to prevent the running of the dye 14, maintainthe high definition image and improve the color fixing property, theagent treatment layer 12 may contain the thickening agent, the colorfixing improving agent, and the antioxidant.

FIG. 9 is a photograph showing the fabric on which the image is printedby dye carried therein. Since the dye 14 attached on the agent treatmentlayer 12 and enclosing the yarns P1 is infiltrated into the yarns P1,the polyester fabric yarns P1 are thickly shown by being dyed in thephotograph.

According to the inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting method, there is no need for the process for depressing theintermediate transfer medium on the printing object 10. That is, byadding a process for consecutively supplying the printing objects 10 oneach of which the agent treatment layer 12 is formed and a process forconsecutively collecting the printing objects on each of which an imageis printed, a series of consecutive online printing processes can berealized.

The inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing methodmay, between the dye spraying process and the dye sublimation process,further include a speed separating process for separating a dye sprayingspeed from an image transfer speed to realize an optimal dye spray andan image transfer.

That is, before the printing object 10 is moved from the dye sprayingunit 20 to the heating unit 30, a U-shaped drooping portion 10 a isformed on the printing object 10 by the difference between the dye sprayspeed and the image transfer speed. At this point, by controlling theimage transfer speed, the U-shaped drooping portion 10 a may beeliminated. As a result, the dye can be sprayed at an optimal sprayspeed without depending on the image transfer speed.

By repeating this process, the operational speed of the dye spray unit20 may be independent of the operational speed of the image transferunit 80. That is, the dye spray unit 20 and the image transfer unit 80can be operated at their optimal speeds to exhibit their typicalperformances.

Meanwhile, the inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting apparatus 50 is designed in a simple and small constitution asshown in FIG. 5, to consecutively perform its printing operation forprinting patterns, an ornamental design or a picture on the printingobjects.

The inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus50 may further include a supply unit 60 for supplying the printingobjects 10 on each of which the agent treatment layer is formed.

The supply unit 60 includes a supply reel 62 around which the printingobjects 10 are wound and a pair of pinch rolls 64 releasing the printingobjects 64 from the supply reel 62. The pair of pinch rolls 64 may beprovided in the inkjet printer 20 or may be provided independent of theinkjet printer 20. That is, a structure of the pair of pinch rolls 64 isnot limited to these cases. That is, any structure that can release theprinting objects 10 from the supply reel 62 and supply the releasedprinting objects to an inkjet head 70 a of a dye-depositing unit 70 thatwill be described later.

In addition, the inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting apparatus 50 includes the dye depositing unit 70 provided on adownstream side of the supply unit 60. The dye-depositing unit 70 isdesigned to spray the dye 14 on the agent treatment layer 12 to carrythe dye 14 in the agent treatment layer 12.

The dye-depositing unit 70 may be formed of the conventional inkjetprinter depositing the dye 14 on the transfer paper to carry the dye 14in the transfer paper. That is, the inkjet printer has the inkjet head70 a injecting the dye 14 on the agent treatment layer 12 of theprinting object in a desired design, pattern or paint.

The inventive non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus50 may further include the transfer unit 80 provided at a downstreamside of the dye depositing unit 70. The transfer unit 80 heats theprinting object 10 to sublimate the dye 14, thereby allowing the dye 14carried in the agent treatment layer 12 to be infiltrated into enlargedpores of the texture of the printing object. The transfer unit 80 mayinclude a tunnel type heating housing 84 and a heating unit 82 such as aceramic radiant heater or an electric resistance heater and installed inthe heating housing 84.

That is, the heating housing 84 defines a path P along which theprinting object 10 moves. The heating unit 82 such as the ceramicradiant heater or the electric resistance heater is provide on the pathP to heat the agent treatment layer 12 of the printing object at atemperature of 160-250° C.

In addition, a conveying unit 90 such as a belt conveyer is disposed inthe heating housing 84 and spaced away from the heating unit 82 at apredetermined distance. The printing objects are disposed on andconveyed by the conveying unit 90. Alternatively, the conveying unit 90may be formed of pinch rollers (not shown). The belt-conveying unit 90includes an endless belt 94 wound on first and second pulleys 92 a and92 b. The first pulley 92 a is connected to a driving motor 96. When thedriving motor 96 is driven, the belt 94 wound on the pulleys 92 a and 92b rotates in the form of an endless track to convey the printing objects10 disposed on the belt 94.

A printing object detecting unit 97 is disposed between the transferunit 80 and the dye-depositing unit 70. The printing object detectingunit 97 includes upper and lower limit sensors 98 a and 98 b detectingthe U-shaped drooping portion 10 a.

That is, the lower and upper limit sensors 98 a and 98 b are disposed ina vertical direction and spaced away from each other by a predeterminedgap. The U-shaped drooping portion 10 a is detected by the lower andupper limit sensors 98 a and 98 b. The sensors 98 a and 98 b transmitsthe detected signal to a controller C to drive the driving motor 96 forthe belt conveyer and a collection reel motor (not shown) that will bedescribed later.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the supply speed of the printing objects 10from the dye depositing unit 70 becomes faster than the output speedfrom the transfer unit 80, the U-shaped drooping portion 10 a of theprinting objects is formed between the dye depositing unit 70 and thetransfer unit 80. When the drooping portion 10 a is formed, the sensors98 a and 98 b detect this. That is, when the lower limit sensor 98 adetects the drooping portion 10, the driving speeds of the driving motor96 for the conveying unit 90 and a rotational motor 99 a of thecollection reel are controlled to be faster than the printing objectsupply speed from the dye depositing unit 70 so that the printingobjects 10 can be moved through the transfer unit 80.

In this case, the moving speed of the printing object 10 moving throughthe transfer unit 80 is faster than the moving speed through thedepositing unit 70. Therefore, the drooping of the U-shaped droopingportion 10 a is gradually reduced. Therefore, the drooping portion 10 ais not detected by the lower limit sensor 98 b but by the upper limitsensor 98 b.

When the drooping portion 10 a is further reduced not to be detected bythe upper sensor 98 b, the sensor 98 b transmits the signal to thecontroller C so that the driving speeds of the driving motor 96 for theconveying unit and the rotational motor 99 a for the collection reel 99can be reduced. In this case, the printing object moving speeddetermined by the driving motor 96 for the conveying unit and therotational motor 99 a for the collection reel 99 is set to be lower thanthe moving speed of the printing object supplied from the dye-depositingunit 70.

Therefore, the U-shaped drooping portion 10 a is formed again betweenthe dye depositing unit 70 and the transfer unit 80. By theabove-described process, the operational speed of the dye-depositingunit 70 is independent of that of the transfer unit 80. That is, the dyedepositing unit 70 and the transfer unit 80 can be operated at theirtypical optimal speeds.

In the present invention, the heating housing 84 of the heating unit 80is designed such that it takes about 20-180 seconds for the printingobject to pass therethrough. Therefore, while the printing object passesthrough the heating housing 84, the dye 14 can be completely sublimatedto be fully infiltrated into the printing object.

Furthermore, when the transfer unit 80 is detachably provided in frontof the dye-depositing unit 70, the apparatus can be made to be morecompact.

The dyed printing objects 10 are collected in the form of a roll by thecollection reel 99 disposed on the downstream side of the transfer unit80. At this point, the rotational speeds of the supply reel 62 and thecollection reel 99 may be properly adjusted considering the dye andtransfer speeds of the printing objects,

As described above, the inventive non-contact type directdye-sublimation printing apparatus can be manufactured in a simplestructure and a small size by omitting a pressing plate, a thermostatand other relating parts that are required in a process for depressingan intermediate transfer medium, thereby reducing the facility costs andthe initial investing costs and to provide a printing method using sucha printing apparatus.

Particularly, since the dye is sublimated as the printing object passesthrough the tunnel type transfer unit 80 that is detachably provided infront of the dye-depositing unit 70 such as, for example, the inkjetprinter, the overall size of the apparatus can be reduced.

According to another embodiment of the present invention that isdepicted in FIG. 6, the dye depositing unit and the transfer unit may beindependently provided in the apparatus.

That is, the apparatus of this embodiment includes a first supply unit60′, a dye depositing unit 70′ disposed at a downstream side of thefirst supply unit 60′ to carry the transfer image in the agent treatmentlayer 12, and a pretreatment unit 55 a having a first collection unit61′ collecting the printing object 10 carrying the dye.

The first supply unit 60′ is identical to the supplying unit 60 depictedin FIG. 5 in functional and constitutional aspects. The dye depositingunit 70′ is identical to the dye depositing unit 70 depicted in FIG. 5in functional and constitutional aspects. The first collection unit 61′is functionally identical to the collection reel 99 and the motor 99 athat are depicted in FIG. 5.

In addition, the apparatus of this embodiment may further include asecond supply unit 62′ supplying the printing object 10 carrying the dyefrom the pretreatment unit 55 a, a transfer unit 80′ disposed at adownstream side of the second supply unit 62′ to sublimate the dyecarried in the agent treatment layer by heating the printing object 10,to allow the sublimated dye to be infiltrated into the enlarged pores ofthe texture of the printing object 10, and a post-treatment unit 55 bhaving a second collection unit 63′ collecting the dyed printing object.

In the post-treatment unit 55 b, the second supply unit 62′ supplyingthe printing object carrying the dye in the form of the supply reel isprovided instead of the printing object detecting unit 97 located on theupstream side of the transfer unit 80 that is described with referenceto FIG. 5. Thus, the upper and lower sensors 98 a and 98 b detecting thedrooping portion of the printing object 10 are not required in thisembodiment.

A feature of this embodiment as described in FIG. 6, is that the dyedepositing unit 70′ and the transfer unit 80′ are provided asindependent units. However, since the structure and function of the dyedepositing unit 70′ and the transfer unit 80′ are identical to thosedescribed in the forgoing embodiments, the detailed description thereofwill be omitted herein.

By the above-described modified structure, the dye-carrying printingobjects produced from the pretreatment unit 55 a can be furtherprocessed through the post-treatment unit 55 b as an online process.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purpose, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions canbe made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention asdefined in the accompanying claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, the non-contact type directdye-sublimation printing apparatus can be manufactured in a simplestructure and a small size by omitting a pressing plate, a thermostatand other relating parts that are required in a process for depressingan intermediate transfer medium, thereby reducing the facility costs andthe initial investing costs and to provide a printing method using sucha printing apparatus.

1. A non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method comprisingthe steps of: forming an agent treatment layer in a printing object;carrying solid sublimation dye in the agent treatment layer by sprayingliquid sublimation dye on the agent treatment layer to allow a transferimage to be infiltrated into the agent treatment layer and hardening theliquid sublimation dye infiltrated into the agent treatment layer; andprinting the transfer image on the printing object by sublimating thedye carried on the agent treatment layer and infiltrating the sublimateddye into enlarged pores of a texture of the printing object by heatingthe printing object.
 2. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting method of claim 1, further comprising, between the step ofcarrying the solid sublimation dye and the step of printing the transferimage, the step of separating a dye spraying speed from an imagetransfer speed.
 3. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printingmethod of claim 2, wherein in the step of separating the dye sprayingspeed from the image transfer speed, a drooping portion is formed on theprinting object by a speed difference between the dye spraying speed andthe image transfer speed before the printing object is conveyed to a dyespraying unit and the drooping portion is eliminated by controlling theimage transfer speed, thereby providing an optimal dye spraying speed bymaking the dye spraying speed independent of the image transfer speed.4. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method of claim1, wherein the agent treatment layer is heated by a heating unit.
 5. Thenon-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing method of claim 1,wherein the heating unit is selected from the group consisting of aceramic radiant heater, an electric resistance heater and a lamp heater.6. A non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatuscomprising: a printing object supply unit having a supply reel aroundwhich a printing object with an agent treatment layer is rolled and apair of pinch rolls releasing the printing object from the supply reel;a dye depositing unit disposed at a downstream side of the supply unitto allow dye to be carried in the agent treatment layer; and a transferunit disposed at a downstream side of the dye depositing unit to print atransfer image on the printing object by sublimating the dye carried inthe agent treatment layer and infiltrating the sublimated dye intoenlarged pores of a texture of the printing object by heating theprinting object.
 7. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printingapparatus of claim 6, wherein the transfer unit includes a tunnel typeheating housing and a heating unit disposed in the heating housing. 8.The non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus of claim7, wherein the heating unit is selected from the group consisting of aceramic radiant heater, an electric resistance heater and a lamp heater.9. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus ofclaim 7, further comprising a conveying unit disposed at a predetermineddistance from the heating unit to move the printing object at apredetermined speed.
 10. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the conveying unit is one of abelt conveyer and a pinch roller.
 11. The non-contact type directdye-sublimation printing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising aprinting object-detecting unit disposed between the dye depositing unitand the transfer unit.
 12. The non-contact type direct dye-sublimationprinting apparatus of claim 11, wherein the printing object detectingunit comprises upper and lower sensors disposed in a vertical directionto detect a drooping portion of the printing object.
 13. The non-contacttype direct dye-sublimation printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein thetransfer unit is closely disposed in front of the dye depositing unit tomake the apparatus more compact.